Ornamental balloon

ABSTRACT

IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, introduced in any kind of balloon ( 1 ) with an inflating portion ( 2 ), assembled by at least two opposite borders of plastic films ( 3 - 4 ), welded through all their perimeter ( 5 ), so that said inflating portion ( 2 ) may be assembled in any shape. However, irrespective of its format, it is provided at least one radial flange in a tube shape like an extended neck ( 6 ), which is not obstructed by the weld ( 5 ) and, consequently, generates the inflation nozzle ( 7 ), which is likewise a welded double border, wherein the balloon includes several flanges ( 8 ) which are equally developed from the line of the outlining weld ( 5 ), all of them outwards directed so that each flange may constitute a fastening and joining aerea with another balloon; said borders of plastic films, which constitutes the body ( 1 ) are monodirected in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle ( 6 ), so that the latter may be longitudinally extended (monodirected) before its tight closure, which, in its turn, is performed by a tie ( 9 ) preferably done after the longitudinal extension (monodirected) of said nozzle ( 6 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to technical and functional improvements specially developed and introduced in traditional balloons which are manufactured of plastic films and usually inflated with air or a gas lighter than the air. The improvement concerned is exclusively aimed to increase two features of the balloon, wherein providing means so as the inflation nozzle of the ballon may be closed with only a tie, avoiding the use of valves, is the first one; and providing means in order that an unique balloon may have several fastening areas in such a way that it may be fastened to other balloons in different ways, thus allowing a diverse series of ornamental effects, is the second one.

As it is known, there is currently a large variety of balloons basically classified in two kinds depending on the material from which they are manufactured: one made of diverse plastic films while the other is made of latex or similar rubber. However, all of them, besides of having diverse shapes, usually have a sharp end or a small extended nozzle, which help for some purposes:

a) in the case of the balloon made of plastic material, the nozzle is inside designed with some constructive details which, at the end, sets up a kind of valve with features defined by several plastic layers, so that an inflation sharp end may reach the balloon inside to inflate it with air or gas and, after that, those inside layers, which constitute the nozzle or the opening, are pressed one towards others by the own inside pressure of the balloon, causing a tight closure of said nozzle and keeping the balloon inflated;

b) in the balloon made of latex, the extended nozzle allows a different closure substantially easier, i.e., after the balloon is inflated with air or gas, it is simply tied; in view of the latex being very flexible, the tie causes a squeeze with an excellent closure, and provides means for preventing the air or gas to escape, thereby avoiding the balloon to wilt;

c) the extended nozzle, either in the latex or in the plastic balloon, also constitutes a fastening area for a string, of which the other end is commonly used to hold the ballon after being tied, mainly when the balloon is inflated with gas lighter than the air because, in this situation, using said string is fundamental.

d) the extended nozzle is also used to grasp the balloon in one of the ends of a flexible rod; and

e) the extended nozzle is also used to join or grasp a balloon to another or to predetermined places, of course in order to provide different ornamental effects.

There is currently some prior art that concerns the manufacture of balloons, such as: U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,123 of Aug. 9, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,646 of Apr. 17, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,072 of Aug. 2, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,194 of Apr. 26, 1994; BR MU 8.101.289-6 of Jul. 23, 2001; BR MU 8.102.145-1 of Oct. 24, 2001; BR MU 8.201.740-9 of Jul. 3, 2002; BR MU 8.300.462-9 of Apr. 14, 2003 and BR PI 0.303.868-8 of Sep. 22, 2003.

It is undoubted that usual balloons made of plastic material may provide all the means for the same being properly inflated. In most cases, however, it is mandatory the use of a internal valve which works together with the nozzle of the balloon and, besides that, the valve is manufactured with layers of plastic films that involve a hard process of industrial manufacture, i.e., it is featured by two layers of plastic films with cuttings and details that, at last, besides of requiring complex cutting blades, they also require welding machines that are complex likewise, and these altogether increase the final cost of the item at a considerable rate.

Therefore, and as it has been said already, there are now essentially two kinds of balloon which are different due to the material of which they are manufactured, one made of latex and the other made of plastic films.

The latex balloon, after being inflated with air or gas, is tied. As the latex is flexible, the tie causes a stopping of the air or gas, avoiding the same to escape.

DISADVANTAGES OF THE PRIOR ART

As the plastic balloon is not so flexible as the rubber, the closure of its nozzle requires a hot mechanical process or a special valve, as such nozzle can not be tied since the plastic material has always microgrooves when tied, and this does not stop the air to flow, which makes easy wilting the balloon.

As it was said, the plastic balloons has only one nozzle that, besides of helping the inflation process, also constitutes a fastening aerea for a string or a rod, thereby becoming a means of child entertainment. However, this same balloon is also used as an ornamental object and, in this situation, it is noted that said balloon has only one fastening area, which is its own valve. Consequently, the ornamental arrangement is limited and, futhermore, requires enough creativity from the user for several balloons being arranged side by side so as to create a certain drawing or ornamental effect.

Therefore, one of the today disadvantages of the known plastic balloons is undoubtedly the limitation of their fastening areas, making considerably difficult the organized grasp of the several units aimed to reach a certain ornamental effect.

Purposes of the Present Invention

The main purpose of the present invention is to provide means to entirely overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and, to do so, the present improvement has been specially developed to establish two features:

a) changes in the outside portion of the balloon, so that its outline becomes a worthwile and different shape, having radial flange-shaped protuberances such as, for instance, a total of 3 flanges that, together with the valve, constitute a total of 4 fastening areas spaced at 90°. As a consequence, the balloon may be grasped with other four balloons, thereby providing the means so as the several balloons may be arranged and fastened each other in different angle positions and, at last, the set may define an intended ornamental effect;

b) an easy closure for balloons made of plastic films, i.e., a closure done with only a simple tie such as done in the latex balloons, thereby avoiding the use of complicated valves or mechanical process of closure. Such a new closure is made possible through generally using a plastic compound which, when being fastened, is monoaxially directed, which allows for the whole stopping of gooves and thus avoids air and gas to escape. This monodirection, as a subject of this patent, may take place before, during or after the balloon is fastened with a tie.

In order for this patent being better understood, a detailed description of the same is done below, referring to the attached drawings, wherein all drawings depict a scheme of an inflated balloon. In some drawings, the nozzle is tied and, only for purposes of demonstration, the tie is disproportionately enlarged:

DRAWING 1 is a perspective view of an inflated balloon in accordance with the present invention;

DRAWING 2 is a side view of the balloon depicted in the preceding drawing;

DRAWING 3 is a front top view of the inflated balloon, with the improvements of the present invention;

DRAWING 4 is a perspective view of the balloon pointing out the improvement applied to its nozzle and, in this case, said nozzle is not tied and is not extended;

DRAWING 5 is the nozzle as longitudinally monodirected;

DRAWING 6 is the nozzle monodirected as tied; and

DRAWING 7 is the monodirection after the tie is done;

DRAWINGS 8 to 12 are supplementary views pointing out some of the constructive variations for the present balloon; and

DRAWING 13 is a perspective view demonstrating an ornamental arrangement that is possible to be done with the present balloon.

In accordance with this illustrations and their details, more particularly referring to drawings 1, 2 and 3, the present IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENNTAL BALLOON is featured by initially being introduced in any balloon (1) with an inflating portion (2), assembled by at least two opposite borders of plastic films (3-4), welded through all their perimeter (5), so that said inflating portion (2) may be assembled in any shape. However, irrespective of its format, it is provided at least one radial flange in a tube shape like an extended neck (6), which is not obstructed by the weld (5) and, consequently, generates the inflation nozzle (7), which is likewise a welded double border.

Another feature of the present balloon is that it icludes several flanges (8) which are equally developed from the line of the outlining weld (5), all of them outwards directed so that each flange may constitute a fastening and joining area with another balloon.

As regards to drawings 4, 5, 6 and 7, the present improvement is featured by said borders of plastic films, which constitute the body (1), being monodirected in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle (6), so that the latter, such as depicted in drawing 5, is longitudinally extended (monodirected) before its tight closure, which, in 5 its turn, such as depicted in drawing 6, is performed by a tie (9) preferably done after the longitudinal extension (monodirected) of said nozzle (6). However, said tie can also be assembled before the longitudinal extension (monodirected) of said nozzle (6), thereby producing the same stopping effect.

As depicted in drawing 8, in a preferred embodiment, the balloon concerned includes a total of 3 flanges (8) which, together with the valve (6), constitute a sum of 4 fastening aereas spaced at 90° one towards another, consequently, a balloon may be coupled to other four balloons, thereby providing all the means so as various balloons may be arranged and tied one to others in different angular positions and, finally, the whole set may define an intended ornamental effect.

In other preferred embodiment, one or more of the radial flanges (8) are designed with holes (10) that may be crossed over by a rod, a thread, by any other kind of thread or other objects which eventually may make easy the fastening and the ornamental arrangement of the balloons.

Such as depicted in the detail of drawing 9, the radial flanges may have a L-like format (8′).

The flanges may logically have any shape which works with the coupling of a balloon to another.

The radial flanges (8) may be straight, curved or L-like shaped. However, this and other features do not interfere with the basic use of each flange.

The flanges (8) may be cut so as to represent any known figure, so that said figure may provide a better ornamental effect to the set.

In accordance with another embodiment, as depicted by drawing 10, the radial flanges (8) may include different crossable cuts (11) which works for the coupling of a flange to another.

As regards to drawing 11, in another preferred embodiment, each radial flange (8) may include a button (12) which may be coupled by pressure with another flange equally assembled with the same button.

As regards to drawing 12, in another preferred embodiment, a supplementary flange (13) is provided, which, besides of being close to the valve (6), also includes a hole (14), said rim with strengthened border, so that, such as depicted in drawing 13, said flange may be crossed over by a flexible tube (H), thereby allowing the overlaid assembly of several balloons.

As it is noted, after what has been exposed and illustrated, it is possible, with the present improvement, the manufacture of diverse balloons of plastic films, wherein the closure avoids using those valves, which are replaced by simple ties done in the nozzle, thereby concluding a kind of closure much more worthwhile and with really more reduced cost if compared with the traditional balloons; and the flanges (8) and its various embodiments allows that several balloons may be easily fastened one towards another and that, finally, different ornamental arrangements may be obtained. 

1. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, which firstly may be applied to any balloon (1) with an inflating portion (2), assembled by at least two opposite borders of plastic films (3-4), welded through all their perimeter (5), so that said inflating portion (2) may be assembled with any shape. However, irrespective of its shape, it is provided that at least one radial flange in a tube shape like an extended neck (6), which is not obstructed by the weld (5) and, consequently, generates the inflation nozzle (7), which is likewise a welded double border.
 2. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLON, according to claim 1, wherein it includes several flanges (8) which are equally developed from the line of the outlining weld (5), all of them outwards directed so that each flange may constitute a fastening and joining aerea with another balloon.
 3. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein said borders of plastic films, which constitutes the body (1), are monodirected in the longitudinal direction of the nozzle (6), so that the latter may be longitudinally extended (monodirected) before its tight closure, which, in its turn, is performed by a tie (9) preferably done after the longitudinal extension (monodirected) of said nozzle (6).
 4. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein the closure tie is done before the longitudinal extension (monodirected) of said nozzle (6).
 5. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein, in a preferred embodiment, it includes a total of 3 flanges (8) which, together with the valve (6), constitute a sum of 4 fastening aereas spaced at 90° one towards another.
 6. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein, in another preferred embodiment, one or more of the radial flanges (8) are designed with holes (10) that may make easy the fastening of the set to any place, including a rod, a thread or any other kind of thread or, furthermore, other objects which eventually make easy the fastening and the ornamental arrangement of the balloons.
 7. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein the radial flanges may be assembled in any shape (8′), including the straight, curved or L-like format
 8. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein the flanges (8) are cut so as to represent any known or unknown figure.
 9. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein the radial flanges (8) include different crossable cuts (11) which works for the coupling of a flange to another.
 10. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein, in another preferred embodiment, each radial flange (8) includes a button (12) which may be coupled by pressure with another flange equally assembled with the same button.
 11. IMPROVEMENT IN ORNAMENTAL BALLOON, according to claim 1, wherein, in another preferred embodiment, a supplementary protuberance (13) is provided, which, besides of being close to the valve (6), it also includes a hole (14) with strengthened border. 